“Vote for NDA”: Tejashwi Says in a veiled dig at Pappu in Purnea Rally

Purnea: Tejashwi Yadav, the de- facto leader of Bihar’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and former Deputy Chief Minister, stirred a controversy on Monday by urging the voters in Purnea to vote even for ruling NDA candidate, indirectly asking them not to vote for Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav.

The electoral landscape in Bihar’s Purnea constituency promises a three-way contest, with RJD’s Bima Bharti facing off against Janata Dal (United) MP Santosh Kumar and independent candidate Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav. Notably, Pappu Yadav, perceived as a potential dark horse, has garnered attention in some opinion polls ahead of the June 4 vote count.

Tejashwi, addressing a rally in Purnea, subtly criticized Pappu Yadav, insinuating that the contest was between “INDIA and NDA.” He emphasized that a vote not cast for RJD’s Bharti would invariably bolster the NDA’s position. The remark underscored the high stakes and polarized atmosphere characterizing the electoral battleground.

Despite recent ties with the Congress following the merger of his Jan Adhikar Party, Pappu Yadav faced disappointment after his bid to contest from Purnea under the Congress banner was rebuffed. Under the seat-sharing arrangement within the INDIA coalition, Purnea was allotted to Lalu Prasad’s RJD, adding complexity to the political dynamics.

Meanwhile, Pappu Yadav reaffirmed his allegiance to the Congress, labeling himself as “a soldier of the party” and vowing to stand by it steadfastly. He attributed the fissures within the opposition bloc to RJD chief Lalu Prasad, hinting at underlying tensions within the coalition.

As the electoral fervor escalates in Purnea, Tejashwi Yadav’s admonition serves as a stark reminder of the strategic implications of each vote cast in the fiercely contested constituency, setting the stage for a closely watched electoral showdown.